Unspoken

This series is designed to aid you in discerning God’s answers to your prayers and in knowing His “perfect and pleasing” plan for your life.

And Don't Fail To Read The "UNSPOKEN" Series Below as it will Bless and Strengthen you.

The foundation of

America

lies within its people. Our country is designed so that the common people have power and voice. A single vote can sway the tide of our country. A single conversation can influence a multitude. One person has the capability of altering the direction and thought of America . But what if that one influential person is corrupt? What if that one persuasive person is self-absorbed and fueled by personal gain? What if the one voice that speaks out is deceitful and bent on harming others? Depending on the individual, the path of our nation can be turned for the good or the bad. How can we as youth ensure the voice that is heard is one of truth and moral standing? What action can we as individuals take to guarantee our influence is for the good of others? In order for the youth to change the beat of

America

, the beat must first change within our hearts.

All too often I tend to point out everyone else’s faults while ignoring my own shortcomings. I have a strong tendency to diagnose the problems of the world, without ever going to see the doctor about myself. Last year as I sat in my English class, my eyes were drawn to a black poster with these words written in bold letters: “Before fixing the problems of the world, you must first fix the problem of yourself”. The root of all problems lie within the heart. In the words of Jesus, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” If a person’s heart is evil, the actions of that individual will be selfish and harmful. If a heart is full of love, the deeds of that person will be done with care and concern. Speaking from experience, if I am motivated inwardly to do homework, the grade and quality will be above par. However, if I am forced to do an assignment, the chances of incompletion are much higher. The same principle applies to love, charity, and helping others. The beat of a person’s heart dictates the beat of his action. As an individual, as a generation, and as country, we are in desperate need of a heart transplant.

Since I can remember, I have been bombarded with the idea that life is all about me. Advertisements teach me to believe that my comfort takes first priority in my life. Music, TV, internet and career’s try to convince my heart that I am most important. Selfishness and apathy are characteristics that sometimes plague our generation. This type of thinking is detrimental to our country. This haughty way of life is the downfall of so many. Imagine what our nation would become if people put each other first. No one would ever hear of violence in schools. Trials of thieving multimillion dollar executives would be non-existent. Sharing a meal with a homeless person would become common. If the motives of our generation are changed, our nation would never be the same.

My grandmother would often say, “The one thing you can change at this moment is your attitude”. Initially, we as youth may not be able to change Congress, but we can make a change in ourselves. We may not be able to immediately sway the masses for the right choice, but we can immediately make the right decision. If we are not careful, we can find ourselves missing the trees because we are so focused on the forest. I forget that my part in changing America does not have to be noticed by the world. My role in altering our country for good does not have to be broadcast on the national news. I can humble myself and realize the people in my neighborhood are just as important as anyone else. The hurting people around me are as much in need as those on the national level. The rejected and poor in my community are as significant as those who have wealth and popularity. The author of the book of James said it this way, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Once I remove my pride, I can begin to change America . Although it may not be publicized or applauded by the world, I can have an eternal impact on those around me.

What could happen if just a handful of youth stopped looking inward and began looking out for other’s needs? How different would our community, city, and country be if those in power thought about others more than themselves? If we esteem others more than ourselves, the course of

America

will change. If we let a selfless worldview grasp our hearts, everything from our school’s hallways to Wall Street would be affected. Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Changing the beat of America begins by changing the beat of our hearts. The change in America begins with us.

Babe of Joy in a manger
Safe from harm, safe from danger.
See a lamb, hear a moo,
Listen to the baby coo.
The night is quiet, all is calm.
See the darling's tender palm?
Soft, sweet hay. Warm, dry stable.
Sing with the angels if you're able
a lullaby to Him from the stars above.
The Perfect Gift; all for love.

Man of Sorrow on a cross;
beaten, bruised, bled and blameless.
See a nail, hear a cry;
He listens to the mocking crowd.
Their hearts are hard. All words are cruel.
See the marred, the ripped, the wretched palm?
Sharp, thick crown of thorns. Cold, bitter drink.
So mourn, for now, with the angels.
It was for us He endured the suffering.
The Perfect Gift; all for love.

From time to time I hear people use the analogy “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” This phrase often appears whenever a friend recommends a movie, TV show, play, novel, conference, concert or some form of entertainment or education. Maybe you have come across these types of suggestions. The recommendation usually begins by highlighting the excellence of the craft and continues by expounding on the good aspects and values of the subject matter. By the middle of the recommendation, one would be compelled to watch, experience, or read what the complementary critic is explaining. There would appear to be no problem with the high praise of the good qualities of the subject matter…until the conversation takes a slow, downward spiral. The person briefly mentions the immoral “bath water” that was sprinkled throughout the movie, performance, or event. They vaguely mention the language or offensive material found in the subject and then follow with the words, “But don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” The conversation ends with both parties pleased and smiling about the wonderful subject matter. They leave with their consciousness seemingly Scott-free and no one dares to ask a very important question: is this justifiable?

On the surface, the idiom of the baby and the bath water seems appropriate and sound. It would be utterly foolish for a mother the toss out her precious baby just because the water it bathed in was filled with dirt and silt. In fact, if a mother did this she would be reprimanded and imprisoned because of her evil, unthinkable act. And rightly so.

But does this analogy cross over into the realm of entertainment? Does this thinking justify the educational value of the subject matter? Is the keeping of the “Baby and the bathwater” the only way to relay important information or display a well crafted art to a person? Does the good in something outweigh the immoral and ungodly content? There is a more excellent way.

When comparing this analogy to a movie, book, or play there are several faults that must be considered. The “baby” represents the seemingly irreplaceable good, and moral in a subject. The “bath water” is the seemingly unimportant, non-impacting, tolerable sin that can be shrugged off in the presence of goodness. The justification lies in the idea that one can just discard any unwholesomeness and need only focus on the good. This idea rests on the assumption that one can sit through a two hour film filled with blasphemous language and walked away unscathed. This concept tries to convey the idea that an individual can watch sex-scenes in a movie and then automatically forget the thoughts, images, and connotations they just viewed. This arrogant fallacy rests on the strength of people to simply laugh off the vulgarity, ignore the inappropriate, and nonchalantly avert their mind away from the damnable sin they had just been exposed too. O how proud we have become.

One important misconception is the comparison of the content to “the baby”. The fundamental problem is when people deem the good content in these types of entertainment as irreplaceable. To them it would appear that there is absolutely no other possible means of learning about a good message than to watch it in something that is riddled with “excusable” sin. They are led to believe that the moral or meaning could not be conveyed in any other way than to see that particular film, read that particular book, or view that particular production. On the contrary, the tainted good is nothing like a child. A baby is irreplaceable. A baby is precious and priceless. The content of a certain film is not. Excellent acting can be found in completely untainted scenes. Superb directing can be appreciated in clean films. And certainly, morals and good messages can be impacting in undefiled novels. If the storyline must require an adultery or immoral act, then it can still be presented in a wholesome fashion. I do not need a step-by-step description or viewing of the adultery to get the point. I do not need the foul language to understand the anger or fear of an individual- regardless of the character’s circumstances. Take Scripture for example. David committed sin with Bethesda , but we are not given the intimate details of their sinful encounter. Adultery, murder and all manner of evil is written about in the Holy Word of God. Yet it remains Holy. The material is presented in a way that does not violate the reader nor does it excuse the sin. There are ways to show evil without doing evil. The good in films does not have to be wrapped in violating sin. The “baby” in these types of entertainment can and should be found elsewhere.

Another problem with this comparison is the “bathwater”. Dirty water used from a shower was once clean water. Pure water was poured onto a dirty body in order to cleanse. This is not the case with the “bathwater” found in the world. The filth and showing of detailed immorality was never clean nor can it cleanse. It has the opposite affect of bathwater. It does not clean the mind; it contaminates it. It does not rid the soul of evil; it fills it with sin. Viewing, hearing, or participating in it does not purge the heart; it pierces the One who lives inside of it.

If the “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” phrase applied in this case ,then God would approve. But He does not. He made a more excellent way through the cross. He gave His life to protect His children from impure and unholy things. He shed his blood to rid us of the very things people choose to expose their hearts to. He suffered pain so that we could be free from vulgarity, corrupt words, innuendoes, images, and ungodliness. A person does not need to expose himself to sin-sprinkled entertainment in order to be “cultured”. A person does not need to tolerate sin in order to be educated. If a person is concerned enough about purity, they will find a more excellent way to learn, rather than to subject their souls to the very thing their Lord died for.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is Holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

How many times must He speak?
How many times will I ignore the pull of my soul?
How many times will I hear His advice and, and go on unchanged?
How many times will I ignore His messengers?
How many times will I ignore His teachers?
How many times?

How many times must He speak?
How many times will I try the same remedy?
How many times will I lie to myself?
How many times will I try the path I know is wrong?
How many times will I try to catch the fire?
How many times?

How many times must He speak?
How many times will I believe myself more knowledgeable than He who is the creator?
How many times will I trust in one who is sure to fail?
How many times will I believe I can fix anything?
How many times will I believe the dead will raise themselves?
How many times?

How many times must he speak?
How many times must He speak before I will hear?
How many times must he speak before I will listen?
How many times must He speak before I will believe?
How many times must he speak before I will follow?
How many times?

How many times must he speak?
How many times must I fall into traps?
How many times must I escape death?
How many times must I fall to the bottom?
How many times must I fall?
How many times?

How many times must He speak?
How many times before I surrender?
How many times until I stop running?
How many times before I commit?
How many times before I am sold out?
How many times?

The time is now.

¹As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ²His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

³"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. ⁴As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

⁵While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." ⁶Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. ⁷"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam.” So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

If you are reading this now, it means that Sean put it on the Unearthed blog for all to read. This is something I am thrilled to do, because I like to write and encourage people. This is a story that, if you have been in church for any length of time, you know by heart. Even so, I am going to try to make a life lesson out of it. It is my goal to simply help someone along in their walk with Christ.

Okay so let me set this picture up. Pretend you are a blind man. You have never seen anything, seriously, nothing, you were born blind. You do not even know what your own face looks like. One day as you are going about your business, a man walks up to you. His name is Jesus, and you can tell he is followed by many people.

In Jesus’ time it was believed that if someone was handicapped that they or their parents had sinned. That is why his disciples questioned whether he or his parents had sinned. Jesus told them that the man was born blind so that the work of God could shine through him. Then Jesus leaned down and spat in the dirt. He took the mud in His hands and placed it on the blind man’s eyes. (I do not know about you, but if a man just put mud on my face I would explode.) But the blind man did not freak out. He simply waited for Jesus to speak. Jesus told the man, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.” Now the blind man had a tough choice to make. Would he go and do as Jesus commanded; or would he just go home, wash off the mud, and get on with life. The man made the right choice—went and washed—and to his amazement—saw.

In doing this miracle, Jesus rocked that blind man’s world. But it took some effort on the blind man’s part. “What effort?” Well I am glad you ask. It says in verse 7 that, “the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” You see the blind man had to have enough faith to go to the Pool. When he got to the Pool, he had to act upon Jesus’ command. When he did this he was rewarded with his sight. The formerly blind man submitted to Jesus’ authority and was radically changed.

This story reminds me of a simpler time, not so long ago. (Actually it was like last year, but you can use your imagination.) Usually when it comes time for a large test, a teacher will have mercy on their student’s souls and will give a study sheet. This study sheet is like Jesus telling the blind man to go wash. The study sheet for the test has all the information that we could need, but we have to study it and learn the material. Jesus gave the blind man all the tools to be healed; the man just had to act upon Jesus’ words. And he was sure glad he did.

We, as believers, are also commanded by Jesus to go. Just as the blind man, when Jesus tells us something to do, we can choose. The blind man could have simply gone to his house and remained blind, but he trusted Jesus and was changed for good. As Christ followers, we also must go and do His work. Then and only then will see His awesome, supernatural power. He probably will not ask us to go wash in a pool, but He has commanded us to go. I am going to do His work, you should come too…you never know what might happen.

“And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’” “Then he spoke to the children of Israel saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the people of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” (Joshua 4, emphasis mine)

God accomplished an amazing work in the lives of the Israelites. God parted the Jordan River to show them He was on their side; He showed them how Joshua was their new leader. God made a bridge for the seemingly impossible and brought the Israelites out of forty long years in a wilderness. After God had worked in their lives, the Israelites were commanded to gather a few stones.

Joshua ordered that twelve stones be taken from the

Jordan

and then set up in some sort of eye-catching configuration. The people stacked and positioned the large stones so that any passerby (specifically their children) would notice them. A new generation of people would grow up asking about the stones.

Today, God is also working in our lives in mighty ways. And I am apart of a new generation looking for stones.

I am one of those passersby who are eager to hear the stories about the stones people have left behind. Those stories behind those stones have the potential to change my life.

I love listening to the testimonies, from the people I respect, about how God has worked in them. Just as God parted the

Jordan

, today Jesus still bridges the gap between heaven and hell. Just as God removed people from the wilderness, today Jesus sets people free from years of bondage.

The people who have influenced my life are the ones who let Jesus influence them. The stones they have left are memories of their speech, actions, and beliefs. They cannot keep quiet about the One who helped them cross the Jordan . They cannot cease from building stone monuments to their Lord.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

I am not a botany expert nor do I claim to be. However, yesterday I could not help but take notice of a patch of beautiful flowers emerging from some foliage. At twenty feet away, the pink and white flora looked lovely and vivid.

I decided I would examine the flowers and see the intricacies of God's design. It looked as if God had thoughtfully scattered the flowers there for any passerby to be reminded of His existence.

As I reached out to pick one of the flowers, the petals crumbled at the mere presence of my hand.

They seemed to be so brittle, that even if I brushed against them, they would crack and fall to the ground.

At a distance they had looked healthy, yet a real examination showed the opposite.

This flower was different from the rest. I took this unique flower from its bush and put it to the test.

There are many Christians who look healthy from afar, until they are approached.

Just like the flowers, there are many brittle, useless, non flourishing Christians.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

We have been traveling many miles in this beautiful countryside, but the only problem is we haven’t the slightest notion of our location, direction, or whereabouts.

Although neither I nor my family has any idea where we are, our GPS is guiding the way. It makes the journey quite “adventurous”.

All we can do is follow the 3-inch screen and the strange accent that gives us directions.

You see, the GPS knows the right roads to take, the roads to avoid, and it almost seems like it has been here before.

I do not always know the road ahead, I do not always know the best route, and I have never been down this road called life.

Now I find myself in an interesting position. I can try to map out the road on my own… or I can follow God’s Word.

And when I do choose to go my wayward (fuel expensive) direction, I will hear the voice of the GPS saying “recalculating” or “make a u-turn”.

The only difference in following a Tom-Tom, Garmin, or God is…the latter is always right.

Whoever says the Christian life is boring and unadventurous, has obviously never been down God’s road.

I decided to start riding my bicycle again this summer. I took it out early this morning to bike a few miles. It was quite peaceful and refreshing as I rode down the path. The birds gliding… the rabbits scurrying away… the falling leaves… all was well.

My tender-self began to feel pain and soreness. The time had come to purchase a new seat.

I drove to the store in search of a new, ultracomfortable, nonexpensive, durable seat.

It must be the right size, angle, shape, material, and color. The only problem is…

All day long I have been indecisive in buying a seat. One minute I’m content, the next I’m second-guessing. I cannot make up my mind!

I do not know which seat to choose or even if the one I choose will be the right one. I will ride around on a seat for a few minutes and seem to like it, but then I will change my mind.

When facing a decision, I can be indecisive, unsure, second-guessing, and confused.

I keep praying but it seems my answer receptor only receives mixed signals or static.

I will just have to wait. I will have to wait to see if the bike seat will be comfortable when I take it out and ride it for a few hours. I will have to wait and see if the seat will endure the rugged mountain trails.

When it comes to prayer, sometimes we just have to wait on the Lord. This shows our trust and faith in His plan, and it proves that we sincerely want His will done …not ours.

“If anyone of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

A tan-green cordlike object was wrapped around a log. I stood still and gazed intently at the strung out play-do.

Thinking it was a snake; I picked up a heavy limb and tossed it onto the creature.

Then it would almost require a learned gardener to differentiate between the true vines, false vines, and the snakes.

Do you know the Word enough to tell the true Vine apart from the false vines and snakes?

At the end of the book of Ecclesiastes, the wisest man to have ever lived sums up the entire purpose of life.

The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the Word of the Lord will endure forever.

As we learned this past week at the Creator Conference, Adam was created from dust… …and to dust Adam returned.

I have watched, read and heard many stories. I have seen countless movies about a hero or underdog that overtakes evil against all odds.

I have read the novels about the one person whom ancient prophecies and legends foretold.

I have heard about the “chosen one” who finds his destiny and sweeps in to save the world and/or girl, treasure, country, or race.

I have seen the film plots in which only one unlikely person knows the real truth, yet no one will believe him. Everyone mocks him or ignores him; it is then left up to that person to guard or reveal the truth to the world.

The underdog emerges and conquers despite the opposition. A Hero does the impossible, chooses the unexpected… and wins.

In literature and movies, the reader watches and cheers for the characters in the story. In the struggling times the reader turns the pages with the expected knowledge that the outcome will eventually be good. In the pain and doubt the book's characters experience, the reader in on edge wishing to tell the main character that the end of the novel is better than that present chapter.

The viewpoint is altered. The words that describe the swords in battle now become iron to embrace or dodge. The pain and confusion of the unknown the reader once viewed as letters on a page, now becomes terror to the heart.

Everything around me faded. It seemed as if the entire room were vacant. All that remained were the cushioned bench and the three or four steps that would soon become my gravesite. If every person I had ever met were in that room, I would have been oblivious to them. The previous events of the day are so vague in my mind I could not even begin to give a rough outline of anything before this decisive moment. Anything before this did not matter to me then, and it does not matter to me now.

After scraping every corner of my mind I can only recall a few memories. Every trace of memory that comes to mind is dark, as if caught in an eerie mist. Every memory is almost gone and is falling away from me, just enough to escape my grasp. My memory is almost extinct and lost forever, except for one incident. I recall hearing the heart-drawing words that shook my soul. The words would demand every fiber of my being to ponder them. The words spoken can never be blotted out, even if I wanted them to be. The words were so effective that I cannot even remember the person who spoke them that day. The words pierced my flesh, heart, and soul. The words, “Come and die.”

I sat almost lifeless, yet never so alive. My heart pounded and squeezed as the man spoke. “Come and die, so you may live!” His words pounded inside my body and then echoed out into the building’s walls. “Die so you may live.” It seemed like a total contradiction. How can you live and yet be dead? How can death bring about anything good? Thoughts like these flooded my head as I listened to this powerful speech. I began to realize the words he spoke were not his own. The words my ears heard were not from a mere human, but from someone much more powerful and worthy. As the speaker continued quoting, I found myself clinging to every letter and syllable that came out of his mouth. This man was not expounding on words that he crafted, but he was quoting from the heart and mouth of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the one who had shaped those beautiful words. And, as the heart of Jesus spoke, the words transformed from a soft whisper into a rushing wind. The words transformed from a contradiction into the only path to completeness. They burst from their cocoon to produce the secret of life itself. “Die so you may live.”

I died. Everything in my life died: my pride, hopes, ideas, loves, thoughts, actions, and desires. I gave it all up to live. It was at that moment that I realized instead of attending my own funeral; I would be attending a celebration. I would no longer be living for me, but I would be living for my God. I would no longer pour my trust and actions into something selfish and vain, but I would pour my life into Someone worthy. From that moment on, I began to live. From that day forward, Jesus Christ became my love, my hope, and my desire.

Some people would say that I am wasting my life living for Jesus. How wrong they are. They do not understand that everyday I wake up, I am not my own, for I have a Redeemer. My temporary dreams and thoughts have been replaced by everlasting ones. Every morning I have something and Someone to live for! Those people who are in confusion about how the death of my passions and lifestyle can bring about good don’t understand, because they have not yet died. The words that compel me are spoken today just as Jesus of Nazareth spoke them two thousand years ago. The words of the way, truth, and life, are still digging wonderful gravesites. Just as I have never been the same since I chose to die, you too, will never be the same if you make this choice. I beg you, “Come and live.”

“And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it.”

Even though this new experience was painful, it was what the wick was designed for.

The wick would never desire to return to the dark cold nights when it was unlit.

When Christ draws near, sometimes we are like the unused wick. We fear and are unsure of the new life that the Holy Spirit draws us toward.

Yet, when we submit, when we let the Lord burn our unused threads, we will never want to be snuffed out.

Though painful and fearful at first, the results of humbling the heart unto salvation and surrender are unexchangeable.

we've developed a certain contempt for the title: "Christian". so how is it one can choose to embrace Jesus and the other refuse his divinity? so many have become disillusioned by "the church" that they refuse to believe that any Jesus worth worshipping would ordain a selfish, wealthy Bible-belter to do his bidding. but who is at fault when the love of Christ is not shown.. the infallible Christ, or the fallible man? you can call me a conservative Christian. that's essentially what i am; a very pro-life, sanctity of marriage, Christ follower. but there is an essential truth that i believe the modern-day church as a whole has overlooked. we are to be like Jesus. that is Christianity. i can list the Bible as my favorite book on facebook. i am perfectly capable of that. but the fact is, if my works don't demonstrate my faith, i am one of the countless many that contribute to the bad name of Christianity. so DCAers, CPAers, MJCAers beware: disappointment in Christians is a sure thing. but do not base your faith on how somebody else's turns out. you'll be hard-pressed to find a stingy, cold, and unhappy person in Heaven. find Jesus. Christianity is more personal than going to one of Nashville's 700 churches and reading a big book.

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." - Mahatma Gandhi

try to see the other side of disillusionment. maybe the religion you grew to resent had a core of truth to start. maybe that core is Jesus. maybe He's still who He was. maybe He's still alive. and for Christ's sake, don't be lukewarm.

A simple fascination woke me today. I opened my eyes this morning and observed the blue. Our unique planet is surrounded by this thing called our atmosphere. Inside this massive azure marble there appear white swirls and floating defined clumps.

God’s faithfulness to man reaches to clouds. Clouds can be absolutely beautiful.

The Master Artist carefully lets the suns light, reflect, penetrate, and envelope these fluffy cotton-like creations.

Just like the clouds, God’s faithful presence can be peaceful, pleasant, and greatly desired.

But Clouds can also be powerful. Fierce angry anvils can rule the sky. Gray and black can fill the earth and prove how small we are.

When you look into the sky and see the white cirrus clouds that hover at about 20,000 feet, remember the height of God’s faithfulness toward us.

And when the stratus clouds are low to the ground and touching the horizon, remember that God is faithful and His presence is in your grasp. When the fog pours in, and the clouds graze the top of your head, remember the Creator is near.

This past semester in English class, I was instructed to interview my mom. I was given a list of questions to ask her about her passions, interests, and life. It was a great way to get to know my mom better and learn about her pre-Sean days.

One of the questions on the interview sheet was about her marriage. The question was “who proposed and how”. I asked my mom and she quickly told me that my dad was the one who proposed to her. I was intrigued as to when and how my dad “popped the question” and thought I might log away some pointers for future use. I was shocked by her response.

I chuckled in surprise. I couldn’t believe that she could forget the time when my dad asked her to marry him and spend the rest of her life with him. In my mind it seemed like it would have been so monumental that she could never forget.

There are many strong followers of Christ who honestly do not know when they first decided to follow Jesus. They can not recall the day, the hour, the minute, and the second that they were born again.

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God…” 1 John 5:1

“Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased...” Mark 6:51

The lightening outside just flickered. The bellowing sound of the turbulent sky has now reached my house.

I have a Labrador Retriever and every time a storm is on the horizon, my dog is whimpering and cowering.

If you place your hand on his chest, you can feel his heart racing. He is terrified of storms.

Yet, as I place my hand on his head and he begins to realize I’m near… something happens.

His heart is no longer visible through his fur, his breathing become normal, and his whimpering is silenced.

I have no power to stop or control the storm, but I am his owner and for some reason this comforts him.

The storm may continue to rage all around, but because the Master is present… it makes all the difference.

“my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
       "Because you have rejected knowledge,
       I also reject you as my priests;
       because you have ignored the law of your God,
       I also will ignore your children.”

Jesus said man does not live by bread alone, but on every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

The pain it brings me when I see Christians who do not have a love for the Word.

God is just waiting! Waiting, For His child, whom He bought, to open the Word and seek His face.

Let me talk about something that a lot of Christians want to ignore. “Hate what is evil.”

When I look around in the church I see many who make sin seem not so terrible. They want to take something that goes against God, and make it seem ok.

I am referring not only to sins such as: sexual immorality, drunkenness, and stealing.

Lately it seems that if a fallible human has an idea that is somewhat contrary to what the perfect God says, God is the one who needs to change.

My friend, God does not change. God is not the problem. God’s Word is not the problem.

If anything (whether it is an action, philosophy, or idea) is contrary to God’s Word, it is a lie, sin, and evil.

“Do not be deceived; ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

My school was closed today because of the large amount of students who are sick. So many people had the flu, sniffles, and nastiness, the school needed to take a day off. The sick people kept coming back to school and their sickness spread to everyone!

The healthy person becomes sick! I have never seen or heard of a sick person becoming well due to the presence of a healthy person.

When a doctor comes in the room to see a sick patient, the doctor does not spend hours in the presence of the sick person. The doctor enters the room, diagnoses the patient, and prescribes the cure.

As Christians we have the cure for sin. We have the cure for brokenness. We have the cure for death.

Offer the cure to all, love the ones who need it, but do not be deceived. Light has no fellowship with darkness. For what do they have in common?

“…so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders…” 1 Thessalonians 3:12

The bridges that cross over from one person to the other are sometimes strong and concrete. Other bridges are weak and fragile. Either way, both bridges are needed to walk across.

When a bridge is burned there is always remorse. Someone built that bridge and is probably quite sad that their work has been utterly destroyed. When a relationship has been severed, there will always been someone who has been hurt.

When a bridge is burned, smoke will rise. A large fire causes smoke. Other people will see that smoke and wonder what has taking place. When a relationship has been broken, it will always involve more than just two people.

When a bridge is burned, a gap is created. No one can walk across the gap until a new bridge is built. When a relationship is burned, Jesus is hurt. Any opportunity He prepared, through you, to get to another person is ruined. Jesus wants to use us to bring others to a saving knowledge of Him.

Unearthed Ministries purpose is to let God use us to instill a fervent passion for His infallible Word in the hearts of students, adults, and everyone we meet. Our main purpose is to spread the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to proclaim how the Bible is trustworthy and reliable. May it be said of us like it was said about the early Christians, “Those who have turned the world upside down have come here too…saying there is another king- Jesus.” (Acts 17:6-7). Every sport award, academic grade, and achievement will eventually fade away and be forgotten, but the Word of the Lord will endure forever! Jesus gave His entire life for us, it is only logical that we give our entire lives for Him. In the words of Mother Teresa, “Jesus is everything”.

1) The Bible (the 66 books Genesis through Revelation) is the complete and only inspired Word of God and His revelation to humanity. (2 Timothy 3:16)

2) The Scripture has supreme and total authority regarding everything it teaches. It is completely flawless and completely accurate. (Proverbs 30:5-6)

3) The Word is true in every area it touches including geography, historically, scientifically and spiritually. (this includes God’s account of creation as revealed in Genesis) (Isaiah 40:28)

4) Sinful man’s fallible opinion is never to be taken as truth over God’s perfect, flawless Word. (Romans 3:4)

5) No apparent, perceived or claimed evidence in any field can be valid if it contradicts the Scriptural record. (John 1:14)

1) The Godhead is triune: One God, three persons- God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:9-11)

5) Jesus rose bodily from the grave and is able to forgive sin and conquer death for all those who place their faith in Him. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

6) Jesus ascended into heaven and is at the right hand of the Father. He will return to judge the living and the dead. (Revelation 22:2)

1) Jesus died and took the complete penalty of sin for all those who repent and place their faith in Him. (John 3:16, 1 John 2:2)

2) Man is sinful by nature and choice and must receive salvation from Jesus Christ to have eternal life in heaven. (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23)

3) Salvation is a gift to all those who trust Him and believe that died for their sins and rose again from the dead. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9-10)

5) There are only two places after death. For those who did not trust Jesus, eternal separation from God and conscious suffering for payment of their sin. For those who did believe in Jesus, peace and life with God in heaven for all eternity. (Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:14-15, Revelation 21:1-4)

About three months ago a close friend of mine challenged me to read and become an expert on one book of the Bible, for a prize. I, just like most people, love prizes. So of course I did it. My friend being wiser than me knew I would receive a much greater prize than what he would give me. So I read the book of Job. While reading the book of Job I realized there were several things I should be doing in my life, and several things I should not. About a month later I stopped reading because I had fulfilled my duty and received the earthly prize, a bumper sticker. Then I was asked what book I was currently reading in the Bible. I had to confess that I was not reading any. So I was encouraged to always be reading and he suggested 1 Peter. So I read 1 and 2 Peter. What I found were some rules to live by. This lead to the question of what Old Testament rules are we still held accountable for? So he told me to read Galatians and what I found was this:

Galatians 2:16- Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:11- Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because the “The righteous will live by faith”.

Galatians 3:24-25- So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we may be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Galatians 5:4- You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from the concept of grace.

Galatians 5: 13- …But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

The book of Galatians is only 4 pages long but has an enormous amount of truth. My friend also encouraged me to read the first 7 chapters of Romans, and this is what I learned:

Romans 2:1-…For at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself…

Romans 5:1- Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 6: 14- For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law but under grace.

Romans 7:6- But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

At this point I was beginning to wonder what purpose at all the law could serve. We are not bound to it. So why is it there? The answer came in the very next verse.

Romans 7:7- …I would not have known what sin was except through the law…

Now I have my answer. I set out to find the law I should follow. If you know me at all you know I am very legalistic. I argue points by the letter of the law. Through my reading, what I found was not a set of rules, but rather an understanding of the spirit of the law. The laws are there to help us become closer to God, but the laws are not God. In order to truly follow the “Law” we need to seek God’s will. We need to know what he wants. It is never about how much can we do without sinning, but about staying as far from it as possible and making our life about pleasing Him in every way possible.

May the truth of this letter give all the glory to Jesus Christ and help you in your relationship with Him.